Scandalous Games

About Scandalous Games

Scandalous Games is a video game history podcast that takes a closer look at video game related controversies. Every episode, historian Kevin Impellizeri shares a story about a scandalous event from gaming's past to his friends who offer commentary on moral panics, ill-advised advertising campaigns, unusual figures, and any and all topics related to video game scandals and how they shaped the medium. New episodes drop on the first and third Tuesdays of every month! Check out more info, including show notes and sources, at http://scandalousgamespodcast.wordpress.com.

Publisher

Scandalous Games

Category

history · leisure · society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

Yes

First episode

27 May 2021

Latest episode

6 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

98 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   6 Oct 2026

   DOOM, Part 3: The Columbine episode

   Historian Kevin Impellizeri shares a story of a video game controversy to his friends: Andy Hunter and Phil Thomas. In a Very Special Episode of Scandalous Games, we finally turn to one of the most influential events in shaping the public perception of video games in the United States: the April 20, 1999, mass shooting at Columbine High School near Littleton, CO. Kevin, Andy, and Phil examine how DOOM became the poster child for blame after the shooting, and the discourse among public figures...

2. 

   15 Sept 2026

   DOOM, Part 2: Won't somebody please think of the deadlines?

   Historian Kevin Impellizeri shares a story of a video game controversy to his friends: Kate Lynch and Matt Shoemaker. In part two of our three-month series on DOOM, we address the relatively muted moral backlash to id’s legendary title between 1993 and 1999. Topics discussed include: GenCon is fun and you should try to go if you can; recollections on Washington, DC’s loudest critic of violent video games: the late Joe Lieberman; everyone’s favorite 90s educational computer game; taking ...

3. 

   1 Sept 2026

   DOOM, Part 1: Knee deep in the details

   Historian Kevin Impellizeri shares a story of a video game controversy to his friends: Kate Lynch and Matt Shoemaker who is a tabletop gaming historian and author of Gathering of Gamers. We continue our long celebration of five years of Scandalous Games by starting a deep dive into one of the, if not the, most famous controversial video games: the legendary 1993 sci-fi FPS: DOOM. In part one of our three-month series, we examine the origins of DOOM, its creators, and the monumental ...

Who has been a guest on Scandalous Games

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Kevin Impellizeri
• Andy Hunter
• Phil Thomas
• Lauren
• Kate Lynch

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

756

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

7 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

9 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 39 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

21

Social presence

0

YouTube

64

Engagement

77

Contact Scandalous Games

Guest appearances

Does not typically book guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.